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Overview

Engage in both concentrated biblical exegesis and meaningful theological reflection with the Two Horizons Commentary series. Without slighting the significance of philological, historical, and social-scientific questions, scholars in this series focus their primary interests on theological readings of texts, past and present. Experts such as Joel B. Green, Peter Enns, and J. Gordon McConville examine 17 books of the Bible—10 Old Testament and 12 New Testament. They discuss each book in relation to the whole of Scripture, asking what it specifically contributes to biblical theology. The result is a paragraph-by-paragraph engagement with the text that is deliberately theological in focus.

Key Features

Includes 17 volumes of Old and New Testament commentary

Provides insight from some of today’s top theologians and biblical scholars

Contains material perfect for students, pastors, those in the academic world, as well as laity

In the Logos edition, these volumes are enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.

Genesis

In this commentary, James McKeown treats Genesis as a book of beginnings and a foundational sourcebook for biblical theology. He begins with exegesis of the Hebrew text, highlighting the recurrence of key words, phrases, and themes throughout the book. He also draws attention to passages particularly pertinent to earlier readers either facing or returning from exile, offering a historical context outside a solely Christian perspective. The second half of the book unpacks the numerous theological horizons of Genesis—main unifying themes (descendants, blessing, land); key theological teachings of Genesis (creation, fall, character and image of God, life of faith); and the contribution of Genesis to theology today, including its impact on science, ecology, and feminist theology. McKeown’s Genesis provides a solid examination of a scriptural book that reflects the struggles and hopes of its readers—ancient and modern—and offers encouragement for their walk with God.

James McKeown is vice principal of Belfast Bible College and lecturer in Old Testament at the Institute of Theology, Queen’s University Belfast.

Joshua

Gordon McConville and Stephen Williams interpret the book of Joshua in relation to Christian theology, providing exegetical commentary and reflection on an often-troubling book that nonetheless plays a key role in the biblical drama of salvation. McConville and Williams address significant theological themes in Joshua, such as land, covenant, law, miracle, judgment, and idolatry. They posit that the theological topics engaged in Joshua are not limited to the horizons of the author and first readers of the book, but that Joshua is part of a much larger testimony that concerns readers yet today.

J. Gordon McConville is professor of Old Testament studies at the University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, England.

Ruth

In this commentary, James McKeown approaches the book of Ruth as part of the whole canon of Scripture, exploring not only the content of the book itself but also its relationship to other biblical books. He shows in particular how Ruth overflows with allusions to Genesis. The themes of “blessing,” “seed,” and “land” are common to both books, and studying Genesis and Ruth together provides profound insights into the providential working of God to fulfill the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

In addition to his exegetical commentary on the text of Ruth, McKeown provides useful background material on how the book has been interpreted throughout history, including Jewish interpretation, and he focuses on Ruth’s theology and its application. His discussion also touches on such related topics as universalism, feminist studies, and the missiological significance of the book of Ruth.

McKeown’s insightful commentary will enable students, pastors, and laypeople to better understand the ancient book of Ruth so that they can better apply its message and wisdom today.

This commentary should be required reading for all who study and teach or preach the message of the book of Ruth.

Job

In this commentary Lindsay Wilson shows the book of Job to be a coherent literary work that addresses this question: Is it possible for humans to have genuine faith in God regardless of their circumstances? Wilson argues that Job’s bold, sometimes questioning cries to God are portrayed as legitimate expressions of trust for a righteous person in adversity.

Through critical exegesis of the text, Wilson focuses on the message of Job and its implications for practical ministry, examining such key issues as suffering, justice, lament, and faith. He also touches on various pertinent topics in Christian ethics, including individual character, wealth, suicide, and the environment. In a final section Wilson offers guidance on using Job as a resource book for pastoral care and prayer, and he discusses how to teach and preach from the book of Job.

In his masterful treatment of the book of Job, Lindsay Wilson has constructed a bridge between the ancient Hebrew text and the contemporary reader.

—Daniel J. Estes, distinguished professor of Old Testament, Cedarville University

Anyone wrestling with the issues raised by the book will find here a resource that builds a robust faith rooted in exegetical and theological depth.

—David Firth, lecturer in Old Testament and director of research degrees, University of Nottingham

I warmly commend this volume to serious Bible readers and especially to preachers, theologians, and evangelists who in different ways may be unsure of the importance of the book of Job for their tasks.

Psalms

Geoffrey Grogan tackles the growing field of Psalms research and presents an accessible theological treatment of the Psalter. He begins by surveying and evaluating the main scholarly approaches to Psalms and then provides exegesis of all the psalms, emphasizing their distinctive messages. Grogan follows with a full discussion of the Psalter’s theological themes, highlighting the implications of its fivefold arrangement. He considers the massive contribution of the Psalter to biblical theology, including the way the psalms were used and interpreted by Jesus and the New Testament writers. The volume closes with an analysis of the contemporary relevance of the Psalms and a step-by-step guide to preparing a Psalms sermon, based on Psalm 8.

Geoffrey W. Grogan is a lifelong theological educator. His previous works include commentaries on Isaiah, Mark, and 2 Corinthians and books on the Trinity, Christology, and the theology of the Psalms.

Proverbs

In this erudite yet accessible commentary Ernest Lucas elucidates the book of Proverbs both exegetically and thematically. Explicating the text in light of its ancient Near Eastern context, Lucas also shows the relevance of Proverbs for the twenty-first century, speaking as it does to such issues as character formation, gender relations, wealth and poverty, interpersonal communication, science and religion, and care for the environment.

Lucas uniquely identifies “proverbial clusters” in his critical exegesis of the biblical text and uses them as the basis for interpreting individual proverbs. Several substantial theological essays at the end of the book illuminate major ethical, pastoral, and spiritual themes in Proverbs. Ably unpacking the rich wisdom embedded in the book of Proverbs, Lucas’s accessible theological commentary is perfect for pastors, teachers, and students.

A deep and valuable education in biblical wisdom. Lucas has a readable style that will engage students, pastors, and scholars. He bears his impressive scholarship on Proverbs lightly and serves it up winsomely. I especially welcome the essays on the theology and ethics of wisdom that conclude the book. They merit a wide variety of readers — whoever wishes to make the wisdom of Proverbs their own.

Offers a window on a fascinating historical topic: ecumenical dialogue between the Catholic and Reformed churches.

Choice

Ernest Lucas worked in biochemical research for a few years before studying theology at Oxford University and becoming ordained as a Baptist minister. He has been the minister of churches in Durham and Liverpool. While at Liverpool, he was awarded a PhD by the university there for his research on the book of Daniel. For several years he worked as educational director and the associate director at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. In 1994 he moved to Bristol Baptist College, an affiliated college of Bristol University, where he is vice-principal and tutor in Biblical studies.

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes is an Old Testament book with a long history of diverse and contradictory interpretations. Even basic questions—who wrote the book, when, and for what purpose—perennially plague scholars. The book’s theological message is likewise elusive, hidden in riddles and convoluted trains of thought that twist and turn back upon themselves.

In this expert commentary on Ecclesiastes, Peter Enns neither disregards nor attempts to resolve the book’s many theological tensions and ambiguities. Rather, he shows how these form the backdrop against which the author struggles to show readers the proper path forward in their journeys of faith—remaining true to the tradition to “fear God and keep the commands” despite the apparent futility of human existence.

Peter Enns is currently senior fellow in biblical studies at the BioLogos Foundation. Previously, he has taught at Westminster Theological Seminary, Harvard University, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Fuller Theological Seminary. His books include Incarnation and Inspiration: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament and (with Tremper Longman III) Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry, and Writings.

Lamentations

In this volume, Robin Parry not only builds on traditional scholarship to interpret the book of Lamentations within its ancient context but also ventures further, exploring how the book can function as Christian Scripture. Parry provides the first systematic attempt to read Lamentations in light of the cross and resurrection—as Israel’s Holy Saturday literature, filled with the cries of those caught between the death of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians and its rebirth. While Lamentations has been sadly neglected by a culture averse to grief and tragedy, this anguished poetry of pain—especially when read through the lens of Christ’s agony and death—has much to teach us about life, God, and the right response to human suffering.

Robin A. Parry is former editorial director of Paternoster Press, Carlisle, UK. His books include Old Testament Story and Christian Ethics, Universal Salvation?The Current Debate, and Worshipping Trinity: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship.

Hosea

In this commentary, Old Testament scholar Bo Lim and theologian Daniel Castelo help the church recover and read the prophetic book of Hosea in a way that is both faithful to its message and relevant to our contemporary context. Although Hosea is rich with imagery and metaphor that can be difficult to interpret, Lim and Castelo show that with its focus on corporate and structural sin it contains an important message for today’s church. Critically engaging the ancient biblical text, Lim provides a running commentary on Hosea, which is interspersed throughout with theological essays by Castelo. Their interdisciplinary work offers a constructive model for how the church might read and proclaim the message of Hosea today.

Lim and Castelo have written an up-to-date commentary with a compelling combination of critical alertness and theological sensibility. Probing the deep prophetic claims of the book of Hosea that draw us into the mysterious fidelity of God, they offer their commentary in readable essays that are not cluttered by the usual minutiae of most commentaries. This is a welcome read!

This skillful collaboration is a model of how thoughtful, balanced, and rigorous scholarship may serve the theological enterprise. The challenges of reading and understanding Hosea are formidable, but one gains from this fruitful pairing of biblical scholar and theologian an informative, lucid, and theologically profound guide to the prophetic book. Whether one is looking for exegetical help or seeking to understand Hosea's contemporary voice, this commentary will prove indispensable.

—Michael Legaspi, professor, Pennsylvania State University

Bo H. Lim is associate professor of Old Testament at Seattle Pacific University and Seminary.

Daniel Castelo is associate professor of dogmatic and constructive theology at Seattle Pacific University and Seminary. He is also the author of Theological Theodicy.

Micah

Readers of the book of Micah learn a great deal about God: he is a mighty God who controls the nations, yet he is also concerned with everyday matters like equity, poverty, and care for widows and orphans. In presenting this transcendent-yet-immanent God, Micah’s message revolves around themes of justice, judgment, and salvation that continue to carry great significance today.

In this theological commentary on the book of Micah, Stephen Dempster places the text in conversation with the larger story of Scripture. After discussing questions of structure and authorship in his introduction, Dempster systematically works through the text, drawing links to the broader biblical story throughout. In the second part of his commentary, Dempster offers theological discussion that further explicates the most significant themes in Micah and their applicability to today’s Christians.

Philippians

In this fine new commentary on Paul’s letter to the Philippians, Stephen Fowl notes that for the great premodern commentators of the Christian tradition, the literal sense of Scripture is always regulated by theological concerns. Thus, unlike commentaries that simply append theology to historical criticism, Fowl’s volume displays disciplined attention to the text of Philippians in ways that enhance rather than frustrate theological inquiry. While Fowl engages the great scholars of the past, John Chrysostom and Thomas Aquinas among them, he also draws a novel theology of friendship from Paul’s letter and unpacks how the teachings of Philippians might be embodied today by Christians in the West.

Stephen E. Fowl is professor of theology at Loyola College in Maryland. His previous books include The Story of Christ in the Ethics of Paul, Reading in Communion (with L. Gregory Jones), and Engaging Scripture.

Colossians & Philemon

Colossians and Philemon have traditionally been overshadowed by other New Testament texts thought to express Pauline theology more clearly. In this notable commentary, however, Marianne Meye Thompson shows how these two epistles provide a unique formulation of the gospel in terms of creation and reconciliation rather than justification by faith. In Colossians she finds an overarching narrative of the Bible’s grand creation-redemption story and an important emphasis on the relationship between creation and Christology, while her exploration of Philemon casts brighter light on the significance of Paul’s familial metaphors for the church and the meaning of new humanity in Christ. Throughout her work on these two epistles, Thompson continually connects her insights to theological concerns, making this volume an excellent addition to the Two Horizons series.

Marianne Meye Thompson is George Eldon Ladd Professor of New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California, and an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church. Her previous books include commentaries on the Gospel of John and the Johannine epistles.

1 & 2 Thessalonians

In this commentary Andy Johnson engages with the developing interpretive framework of missional hermeneutics to present a theological interpretation of 1 & 2 Thessalonians that aims to help the church more fully participate in the life and mission of the triune God.

After a verse by-verse commentary, Johnson closely examines the theology of the two epistles, focusing especially on the topics of eschatology, holiness, and election in light of his missional reading of 1 and 2 Thessalonians. In his exegetical and theological analyses, Johnson considers canonical concerns, doctrinal commitments, ecclesial practices, proposals from contemporary systematic theology, and insights gleaned from the field of neuroscience regarding personal and community formation, all of which help to clarify and enrich readers’ understanding of various passages.

Andy Johnson has written an extraordinary commentary on the Thessalonian letters from the perspective of their missional dynamic and purpose. It is at once exegetically perceptive, theologically rich, and missionally insightful. Johnson’s volume will assist all those who read it both to better understand this early Pauline correspondence and, if they so desire, to participate more fully in the mission of the Triune God to which these texts bear eloquent witness. A landmark contribution to the commentary genre.

—Michael J. Gorman, St. Mary’s Seminary & University

This splendid commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians not only contributes to our understanding of these letters but also serves as a benchmark example of the practice of missional hermeneutics.

—John R. Franke, The Gospel and Our Culture Network

Reflecting thoughtful engagement with recent scholarly developments in both theological interpretation and missional hermeneutics, Johnson has produced a pioneering work. Exegetically judicious, theologically astute, and canonically informed, this volume will serve as a welcome guide for those seeking to navigate the theological content and the missional implications of 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

—Michael Barram, Saint Mary’s College of California

If I were asked to teach a class on 1 and 2 Thessalonians, I would do it with the Bible in one hand and this commentary in the other! With sane and meticulous attention to exegetical detail, Johnson is clear about what he believes to be the thrust of Paul’s message in these letters, and he offers his interpretation with a gracious spirit.

—George R. Hunsberger, Western Theological Seminary

Andy Johnson is professor of New Testament at Nazarene Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri, and coeditor of Holiness and Ecclesiology in the New Testament.

1 & 2 Timothy and Titus

This theological commentary on 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus by Robert Wall powerfully demonstrates the ongoing relevance and authority of the Pastoral Epistles for the church today. Wall uniquely employs an apostolic “Rule of Faith” methodology for interpreting these texts as sacred Scripture. Three successive historical case studies by Richard Steele vividly instantiate key themes of the Pastorals. This innovative yet reverent volume will help revive the interest of students, pastors, and other Christian leaders in the Pastoral Epistles.

I commend Rob Wall for offering us, and the wider church, his canonical readings of the Pastoral Epistles. Rob does not shy away from the many tough passages in these letters, always trying to present what he sees as the “plain sense” of the text in relation to other historical, ecclesial, and cultural understandings. The combination of commentary and reading by the ‘rule of faith’—supplemented by three interesting case studies—provides a thorough canonical understanding of these crucial letters from the standpoint of one who is immersed in what it means to understand the Bible as the church’s book.

—Stanley E. Porter, president, dean of theology, and professor of New Testament, McMaster Divinity College

Those of us who are long-standing admirers of Rob Wall’s work will recognize that the Pastoral Epistles, with all of their critical baggage, provide the perfect backdrop for his canonical approach to Scripture. Wall never shrinks back from crucial questions. Nevertheless, he carefully and confidently interprets the Pastorals as full members of the canon. His readings are theologically apt and lively, shaped and regulated by the church’s faith.

1 Peter

Even though the letter of 1 Peter has sometimes been overshadowed by Paul’s many New Testament letters, it is nonetheless distinctive for the clarity with which it presents the Christian message. In this volume Joel Green offers a clear paragraph-by-paragraph analysis of 1 Peter and, even more, unpacks the letter’s theology in ways that go beyond the typical modern commentary. Following Green’s paragraph-by-paragraph commentary is an extended discussion of the “theological horizons” of 1 Peter. Throughout his study Green brings the message of 1 Peter into conversation with Christian theologians—ancient and contemporary—so that the challenge of this letter for Christian faithfulness can be heard more clearly today.

Joel B. Green is professor of New Testament interpretation and associate dean for the Center of Advanced Theological Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California.

2 Peter & Jude

Ruth Anne Reese explores the theological and literary meaning of 2 Peter and Jude with an emphasis on theology for the church today. She seeks to meld together the best tools derived from the disciplines of both biblical studies and theology. Reese’s 2 Peter and Jude begins with a general introduction to the two books and proceeds to look at each text, exploring the meaning of particular words and illuminating the text with elements of history, sociology, and literary study. The themes of each book—and how they are played out throughout the biblical canon—are examined from an explicitly theological angle. Reese brings together insights from the best of biblical scholarship with the work of theologians, both contemporary and ancient. The combination of disciplines leads to new insights on such issues as judgment, community living, and the relationship between faith and ethics.

Ruth Anne Reese is associate professor of New Testament at Asbury Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky. She is also the author of Writing Jude: The Reader, the Text and TheAuthor in Constructs of Power and Desire.

Revelation

The book of Revelation is perhaps the most theologically complex and literarily sophisticated—and also the most sensual—document in the New Testament. In this commentary John Christopher Thomas’s literary and exegetical analysis makes the challenging text of Revelation more accessible and easier to understand. Frank Macchia follows up with sustained theological essays on the book’s most significant themes and issues, accenting especially the underappreciated place of the Holy Spirit in the theology of Revelation.

This is a welcome addition to recent literature on Revelation. It offers a multidimensional perspective on the book that gives special attention to its literary character and theological dimensions. By bringing the perspectives of a biblical scholar and a systematic theologian together, the commentary serves as an invitation for others to join in the dialogue about the interpretation and significance of Revelation’s visionary text.

—Craig Koester, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN

An evocative, provocative theological commentary of first rank. Chris Thomas’s fine commentary is informed not only by his fluent reading of the sacred text and its many interpreters but also by his deep commitment to God’s people, especially of the Pentecostal communion. Frank Macchia’s complementary theological reflections are remarkable for their breadth and incisiveness in reading the church’s Scripture and tradition. Theirs is an intellectual achievement for the academy and a magisterial gift to the church.

—Robert W. Wall, Seattle Pacific University and Seminary

John Christopher Thomas is Clarence J. Abbott Professor of Biblical Studies at Pentecostal Theological Seminary, Cleveland, Tennessee, and director of the Centre for Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies at Bangor University, Bangor, Wales.

Frank D. Macchia is professor of systematic and Pentecostal theology at Vanguard University, Costa Mesa, California, and associate director of the Centre for Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies at Bangor University.